Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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MECHANICAL GRAPPLE FOR HIGH PRESSURE PROCESSING CONTAINERS
AND METHOD FOR HANDLING HIGH PRESSURE PROCESSING CONTAINERS
USING SAID MECHANICAL GRAPPLE
OBJ ECT OF THE INVENTION
The object of the invention falls within the technical field of engineering,
specifically within the field of mechanical engineering for developing special
machines
for industrial production.
Specifically, the object of the invention is a mechanical grapple that has the
ability
to immobilise and move a cylindrical container for treating products with high
pressure,
as well as to remove the lid of said container while immobilising and/or
moving it.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Installations made up of HPP (High Pressure Processing) equipment, which are
used for processing packaged products and/or bulk liquids before packaging,
are known
in the state of the art.
Said HPP equipment uses containers for the correct handling of the product,
these being of cylindrical geometry, including the products packed therein.
The material
features of the containers are particular to this technology.
One of the most important steps is the extraction of the packaged products
already processed to subsequently carry out the distribution process of the
products in
the market.
The removal of the container lids can be carried out by an operator,
physically
uncovering the container to deposit or extract the products therein in order
to distribute
them to other production tasks units.
Once the products have been extracted, the empty containers are reloaded with
product and thus perform the HPP processing cycle again.
Another way of removing the lids from HPP containers is by using container
displacement tools and lid removal tools, independent from each other,
increasing the
efficiency of the process by reducing the time it takes for an operator to
move the
containers one by one by him or herself and remove the lid.
However, the problem that arises is the production time and with it the
production
cost when holding the container with a tool, on the one hand, moving it to
another tool or
equipment that enables the lid of the mentioned container to be opened.
Additionally, another problem is the production shutdown that can occur if the
lid
removal equipment fails, increasing production time, reducing the efficiency
of the line
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and, therefore, increasing costs.
Another problem is the space occupied by the use of both tools, reducing the
useful space for operators or for the installation of additional equipment
necessary in the
production process based on the operating conditions of the same.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The present invention aims to solve the aforementioned problems, including in
one same tooling a mechanism that enables the fastening, movement and removal
of
the lid of HPP (High Pressure Processing) containers; in order to increase the
efficiency
of the task corresponding to said removal of the lid and the deposit of
products for
different purposes; and consequently, to reduce production times and possible
errors
derived from human error or failures when using different tools for the same
task.
The invention relates to a mechanical grapple with the ability to move, fasten
or
immobilise and remove the lid of an HPP container simultaneously and in a
coordinated
manner, while describing the process carried out in that section of the
production line.
The mechanical grapple, object of the invention, is equipped with a support
structure that rests on the body of the HPP container, said support structure
being made
up of a longitudinal holding plate and an adapter with a series of holes
geometrically
made and configured for adapting to a manipulator, for example, an industrial
robot, and
attaching the support structure to the robot head, and with it, the fastening
of the
mechanical grapple to said manipulator so that it is moved.
Additionally, the mechanical grapple incorporates a control unit associated
with
a gripping mechanism, simulating the fingers of a hand, responsible for
immobilising the
HPP container so that it can be handled, by way of a claw that surrounds the
container.
This same control unit is also associated with an opening mechanism
responsible for
separating the lid from the body of said HPP container simultaneously and/or
in a
coordinated manner with the action of the gripping mechanism.
On the one hand, the gripping mechanism that is part of the mechanical grapple
of the invention is equipped with a series of elements, these being plates
acting by way
of protection and fastening, separated from each other and which can be
fastened on
the holding plate of the support structure, by the ends of said plate or by
areas close to
the aforementioned ends.
Between the protective plates are located a series of actuators, which can be
pneumatic or of another type; and linked thereto are moveable closures coupled
between
the protective plates with the ability to move pivotally with respect to said
protective
plates.
On the other hand, the opening mechanism is associated with the holding plate
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of the support structure, by means of articulated supports, positioned on the
holding plate
and at one end thereof, enabling the movement of the opening mechanism to be
an
articulated movement with respect to the support structure.
Likewise, the opening mechanism comprises another actuator, which is coupled
at one end to the articulated support located on the holding plate of the
support structure;
a mechanism directing body, associated with the actuator by means of a rod
integrated
in said actuator; and associated with the holding plate by means of the
articulated
support located at the end.
In turn, the opening mechanism incorporates a gripping plate with a
transversal
shaft coupled to the directing body, the gripping plate having the ability to
rotate around
the transversal shaft thereof and being intended to make contact against the
upper
external surface of the lid in a fixed manner by means of gripping elements,
said gripping
elements being able to be suction cups, hooks, platens, etc.; so that the
movement of
the opening mechanism enables the lid to be removed from the HPP container
while it
is immobilised by the gripping mechanism.
The opening mechanism can also incorporate a series of actuators connected to
the control unit and located in the central body, associated with the gripping
plate by
means of fastening cones, fixed to the gripping plate and to one end of the
actuators. By
means of the coordinated retraction and extension movement of said actuators,
the
movement for unlocking the closure of the lid occurs prior to the separation
thereof from
the body of the HPP container.
Both the action of immobilising the container by the gripping mechanism and
that
of removing the lid thereof are carried out due to the commands from the
control unit,
equipped with a control module and positioning sensors, located in the
mechanisms and
that send information on the presence and position of both the HPP container
and the lid
of said HPP container.
The sensors send the information to the control module, which sends the
command to the actuators of both mechanisms, the actuators of the gripping
mechanism
are extended by pushing the closures at one of the ends thereof, enabling them
to pivot
and embrace the HPP container, immobilising it, its presence previously
confirmed by
means of the positioning sensors.
Once it is immobilised, the positioning sensor located in the opening
mechanism
sends information to the control module about the status of the lid of the HPP
container,
and the latter executes the command to move the actuator of said opening
mechanism,
enabling the rotation with respect to the articulated support located at the
end of the
holding plate by the directing body; and consequently by the gripping plate
fixed to said
body.
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The opening mechanism, in turn, can incorporate an air suppression system that
is connected to the set of suction cups established on the gripping plate, in
the event that
the gripping elements are suction cups. Once the command has been sent to said
system, the lid is tied and the unlocking takes place for the separation
thereof from the
body of the HPP container.
By retracting the actuator, combined with fixing the lid to the gripping
plate, said
lid is removed from the container itself, ensuring that the entire deposition
process of the
products found inside the HPP containers is carried out in an agile and
unified manner
by one same tooling, being able to be carried out at the same time that the
manipulator
moves the whole assembly.
The extension and retraction action of the actuators that make up the gripping
and opening mechanisms, as well as the system that enables the lid to be
extracted, are
governed by a series of solenoid valves and/or vacuum ejectors that are part
of the
control unit, linked to the control module, said control unit being able to be
associated
with the automaton thereof or in another location, enabling the extension and
retraction
commands to be sent to the actuators so that the movements are executed in a
coordinated manner.
At the same time, the process of removing the lid from the HPP container and
handling thereof is described, said process including the steps of positioning
the
mechanical grapple on the HPP container, detecting the presence of the
container to
subsequently send the information to the control unit, control unit which
sends the
command to the gripping mechanism to immobilise the HPP container.
At the same time as the step of gripping the container, the step of detecting
the
presence and position of the lid by means of the positioning sensors takes
place, and
once detected, the step of sending information to the control module takes
place, control
module which sends the command to the actuator of the opening mechanism to
retract
and thus be able to remove the lid of the container while it is fastened by
the mechanical
grapple. The opening of the lid can be carried out at any time during the
handling of the
assembly by the manipulator, i.e., the lid can be removed while the mechanical
grapple
is carried by the manipulator.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
As a complement to the description provided herein, and for the purpose of
helping to make the features of the invention more readily understandable, in
accordance
with preferred exemplary embodiments thereof, said description is accompanied
by a set
of drawings constituting an integral part of the same, which by way of
illustration and not
limitation, represent the following:
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Figure 1 shows a view of the mechanical grapple object of the invention
coupled
to a manipulator.
Figure 2 shows a perspective view of the v object of the invention with the
lid
separated from the HP P container.
Figure 3 shows a side view of the mechanical grapple object of the invention
with
the lid separated from the HP P container.
Figure 4 shows a detailed view of the opening mechanism of the mechanical
grapple.
PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION
With the aid of the aforementioned figures, a preferred embodiment of the
mechanical grapple for HP P (High Pressure Processing) containers and the
handling
process using said mechanical grapple is described.
Figure 1 shows a view of the mechanical grapple object of the invention,
intended
to be coupled to a manipulator (27) and to immobilise and open a HP P (High
Pressure
Processing) container equipped with a body (28) and a lid (29) that opens and
closes
said body (28), the mechanical grapple comprising a support structure (1)
formed by a
longitudinal holding plate (2) provided with a first end (3) and a second end
(4), intended
to be coupled to the HPP container body (28); and an adapter (5) that starts
from the
holding plate (2) and that is intended to couple the support structure (1) of
the mechanical
grapple to the industrial robot (27).
Additionally, the mechanical grapple comprises a control unit (6), a gripping
mechanism (7) linked to the control unit (6), which is associated with the
first and second
ends (3, 4) of the holding plate (2) of the support structure (1), said
mechanical grapple
intended to immobilise the container when receiving commands from the control
unit (6);
and an opening mechanism (8) associated with the support structure (1) and
linked to
the control unit (6), the movement of which is articulated with respect to
said support
structure (1) and which is intended to open the body (28) of the HP P
container by
separating the lid (29) from the body (28) of the HP P container.
The control unit (6), in turn, comprises a control module (9) intended to send
movement commands to the gripping mechanism (7) and/or to the opening
mechanism
(8), first positioning sensors (10) linked to the control module (9) and
located in the
gripping mechanism (7), said first positioning sensors (10) configured to
detect the
presence of the HP P container and send the information to the control module
(9), and
second positioning sensors (11) linked to the control module (9) and located
in the
opening mechanism (8), said second positioning sensors (11) configured to
detect the
presence of the lid of the HP P container and send the information to the
control module
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(9).
The aforementioned positioning sensors (10, 11) can be seen in Figure 2, which
shows a perspective view of the mechanical grapple wherein it is displayed how
the
adapter (5) is formed by a fixing plate (12) intended to be attached with the
manipulator
(27), said fixing plate (12) attached with the holding plate (2) by means of
lateral fasteners
(13), there being a space between the fixing plate (12) and the holding plate
(2).
It is also shown how the holding plate (2) incorporates articulated supports
(14)
that facilitate the attachment of the opening mechanism (8) to said holding
plate (2) and
enable the articulated movement of the opening mechanism (8), at least one
articulated
support (14) being able to be located at the first end (3) of the holding
plate (2) of the
support structure (1) and/or at least one articulated support (14) being able
to be located
on the holding plate (2) of the support structure (1).
Likewise, for a better understanding of the invention, both Figure 2 and
Figure 3
show the arrangement of the gripping mechanism (7) and the opening mechanism
(8)
as well as the elements that make them up.
On the one hand, the gripping mechanism (7) of the mechanical grapple
comprises plates (15), separated from each other, which act as guides and are
fixed on
the vicinity of the ends (3, 4) of the holding plate (2), intended to adapt to
the diameter
of the body (28) of the HPP container, closures (16) coupled between the
protective
plates (15) and pivotally moveable with respect to said protective plates
(15), intended
to retain the HPP container, and first cylindrical actuators (17) associated
with the
closures (16) and connected to the control unit (6) that enable the closures
(16) to move
so that when the first actuators (17) extend, the closures (16) retain the HPP
container;
and when said first actuators (17) contract, the moveable closures (16)
release the HPP
container.
On the other hand, the opening mechanism (8) comprises a second actuator (18)
coupled at one of the ends thereof to one of the articulated supports (14) of
the holding
plate (2) and connected to the control unit (6), arranged below the adapter
(5); a gripping
plate (20) equipped with fastening elements (21) and a transversal shaft (22),
and which
is intended to couple with the lid (29) of the HPP container.
The element that enables the movement of the gripping plate (20) is a
directing
body (23), which receives the transversal shaft (22) of the gripping plate
(20) at one of
the ends thereof and which couples at the opposite end thereof with the rod
(19) of the
second cylindrical actuator (18) and/or with the articulated support (14)
located at the
end of the holding plate (2).
Said directing body (23) is moveable in an articulated manner with respect to
the
holding plate (2) by means of the action of the second actuator (18), so that
when the
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second cylindrical actuator (18) retracts, the rod (19) moves the directing
body (23) that
rotates with respect to the holding plate (2), and, consequently, moves the
gripping plate
(20), making it possible to separate the lid (29) from the body (28) of the
HPP container.
Figure 4 shows a detailed view of the opening mechanism, wherein the fastening
elements (21) of the lid (29) are, preferably, a set of induced vacuum suction
cups, and
may also be other elements such as hooks, couplings, etc.
Figure 4 also helps to show how the opening mechanism has the ability to
rotate
the lid (29) of the HPP container prior to removing it, by means of the use of
third
actuators (24) located on the sides of the directing body (23), connected with
the control
unit (6) and associated with the gripping plate (20) by means of fastening
cones (25),
which engage with the gripping plate (20), so that with the coordinated
extension and
retraction action of said third actuators (24) it enables the gripping plate
(20) to rotate
around the transversal shaft (22) thereof.
Finally, it is highlighted that the mechanical grapple object of the invention
is
associated with a method for handling HPP containers using said mechanical
grapple,
the method comprising the steps of:
- positioning the mechanical grapple on the body (28) of the HPP container,
- detecting the presence of the body (28) of the HPP container through the
action
of the first positioning sensors (10),
- sending
the information about the position of the body (28) of the HPP container
to the control module (9),
- detecting the presence of the lid (29) of the HPP container through the
action of
the second positioning sensors (11),
- sending the information about the presence of the lid (29) of the HPP
container
to the control module (9),
- sending a command to the gripping mechanism (7) to immobilise the body
(28)
of the HPP container,
- immobilising the body (28) of the HPP container,
- moving the HPP container to a programmed location,
- sending a
command to the opening mechanism (8) to remove the lid (29) from
the HPP container, and
- separating the lid (29) from the body (28) of the HPP container.
Likewise, the method may include the step of rotating the lid (29) of the
container
prior to separating the lid (29) from the body (28) of the HPP container to
facilitate
carrying out the method using the mechanical grapple.
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